Marked For Blood
by PenPatronus
Summary: COMPLETE Jayden is dying from a deadly Nighlock symbol that Xandred branded into his back during "The Master Returns." When Serrator's forces attack the Tengen Gate and defeat the other Rangers, Jayden's secret is revealed to be more dangerous and deadly than any of them imagined. Jayden/Mia, Mike/Emily, Power Rangers Samurai.
1. Xandred's Revenge

**Summary: **The Rangers discover a Nighlock symbol branded into Jayden's back after the events of "The Master Returns." Hurt / comfort, friendship, angst, drama. Jayden / Mia, Mike / Emily.

**Author's Notes:** This story takes place minutes after "The Master Returns."

**Marked F****or Blood  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter One  
**Xandred's Revenge**

When Emily took a good look at how pale Jayden's skin was, how saturated his blue eyes were with pain, she couldn't stop crying. She told herself – over and over – that Jayden needed her to be strong, just like Serena did. But this was Jayden – _Jayden_. Their friend, their leader, the glue that held the team together. No, more than that. The _sinew_. At some point Emily had subconsciously come to the conclusion that he was indestructible. Even on the rare occasion that he went down he didn't stay there for long. But not only had he not improved yet, the burns and cuts and bruises were getting worse.

As if his blood refused to clot.

Emily ached for Serena's comforting embrace. She wrapped her arms across her chest, hugged herself, and imagined that her big sister was there.

"Emily. Help me," said Mia. The Pink Ranger knelt beside the couch and opened up a medical kit. The guys had bathed Jayden and even managed to get a few bites of food in him before he collapsed again. Now Mia unbuttoned his clean shirt, slipped it off and dabbed ointment onto his chest. "Hand me a bandage, will you, Emily?"

Emily wiped the water out of her eyes and retrieved the gauze. Jayden hissed at her when she touched the wound, then mouthed, "Sorry." He swallowed, cleared his throat and whispered aloud, "Thanks for staying with me on the island, Emily. I know it must have been hard to watch the others fight without you."

That started the waterworks again. Emily felt her throat constrict and cut off her response. She forced a smile and nodded.

"Hang on, Jayden, this might hurt," Mia said. Emily watched the Pink Ranger roll Jayden onto his side. He cut off a cry by biting his bottom lip but the tremble in his body revealed how much pain he was in. "Oh no," Mia whispered. "Oh, God."

"What is it?" Emily asked. She sprinted around the couch and knelt beside her friend. "Is that – Mia, is that a–"

"A Nighlock symbol. It's burned into his skin." Mia held her palm over the blistered marks on Jayden's spine and Emily was shocked to see that the symbol was as big as her hand. "Jayden, I…" Mia stretched her neck over his shoulder and looked into his eyes. "Jayden, I don't know what to do."

"Mirror," he gasped. "Get mirrors. Show me."

Emily ran into the girls' bathroom and grabbed two round, long-handled mirrors. She held one in front of Jayden's eyes while Mia pointed the other at his back. Jayden gasped when the mirrors aligned. "Can't be…"

Mia put the mirror down and grasped his arm. "Do you know what that symbol means?"

"No." He closed his eyes and squeezed them so hard that his eyelids turned white. "But I've seen it before. On my father's dead body."

Mia and Emily stared at each other. Both opened their mouths to speak but couldn't summon any words.

"Master Xandred branded him with that symbol in that exact same place," Jayden said. "The night that they fought. The night… The night that my father died." He coughed, then. Hot blood splattered across Emily's pale yellow shirt.

"_Jayden_!" Mia rushed over and dabbed the blood from his lips with a towel. "Jayden, lie still, I'll get Mentor." She was halfway across the room when, suddenly, she ran back and kissed Jayden on the cheek, right below his eye. She left before he blinked.

Emily stopped trying to hold back the tears. "What can I do?" she begged.

"Nothing." Jayden's coughs sounded like Serena's. He spit more blood onto the floor. "Nothing, just… Emily? When your sister was sick… what did you do?"

"I played music for her. I played my flute." Emily's lower lip trembled and she rubbed her fingertips through his hair.

"I bet it was beautiful," he whispered. "Will you play for me?"

The other Rangers suddenly stampeded into the room. Someone – Mike, Emily thought – helped her to her feet. Jayden's white face disappeared in the crowd.

Emily ran into her room and threw herself face first onto the bed.

**To Be Continued**


	2. Swords and Spells

**Summary: **The Rangers discover a Nighlock symbol branded into Jayden's back after the events of "The Master Returns." Hurt / comfort, friendship, angst, drama. Jayden / Mia, Mike / Emily.

**Author's Notes:** This story takes place minutes after "The Master Returns."

**Marked For Blood  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Two  
**Swords and Spells**

Jayden's eyelids felt too heavy to move. He imagined himself lifting a mountain – knees bent, back straight, the weight balanced across his strong shoulders. He stood up and the rock rose high enough to block the moon. The visualization worked. Jayden's eyes opened and two figures came into view: Antonio on his right, programming his morpher and Ji on his right, reading the Archives. He whispered their names.

"Jayden? _Gracias a Dios_," Antonio gasped. He knelt beside his friend and slid his hand underneath his neck. "Good to see you, bro."

"What happened?" Jayden didn't notice that his voice was nothing but air. Antonio's fingers caused goose bumps to bloom across his skin. They were cold as ice cubes.

"What?" Antonio leaned in close. His scarf tickled Jayden's chin.

Jayden took a deep breath and told himself to shout. "What happened?" he croaked.

Antonio shrugged. "The Mavericks won by eight, some dude in Egypt found a mummy, there's a new coffee flavor at Starbucks. Whoop-dee-doo."

"_Antonio_." Jayden's chuckle turned into a cough before it became a laugh again. "What happened? The last thing I remember was talking to Emily."

The Gold Ranger shrugged. "You just started bleeding a little. We slapped on a few Band-Aids and now you're fine." He reached into his pocket and held out a half-eaten peanut butter and jelly sandwich. "Want some?"

"You need to practice changing the subject, dude. That was not smooth." Jayden looked over at Ji and saw the tired smile on his mentor's face.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Antonio said, too innocently. He tossed the sandwich into the air, caught it in his mouth and said between bites, "You just need a little rest, Sleeping Beauty. You'll be all better in the morning."

Jayden frowned. He flexed his muscles and was unsurprised to feel how weak they were. He'd had the flu before – mono, too, as a kid – but this was ten times worse. There had to be drugs in his system because when he looked down at his body he saw the wounds, but couldn't feel them. "Antonio, I've known you since we were kids. I know you're lying."

Antonio's smile slid off his face. He looked expectantly at Mentor who only stared back, silent. Suddenly Antonio stood up with his back to Jayden and said, "I don't want to be the one to tell you this. It's too hard."

Jayden attempted to sit up but an avalanche of dizziness blocked him. "Just spit it out, will you?" he snapped at Antonio. Fresh sweat seeped out of his pores and the few fragile scabs he had cracked. "Come on, I don't have much time left."

Antonio whirled around and raised his fists as if defending himself. His dark eyes flashed golden in the dim light of the dojo. "Jayden! _Don't say that_!"

Jayden frowned. "Antonio, I meant that I'm tired and there's not much time before I fall back _asleep_."

Wide-eyed and shaking, the Gold Ranger slowly lowered his fists. It occurred to Jayden that he'd never imagined, let alone seen Antonio look so… _serious_. Or sad. Or frightened. "I…" he whispered, "I gotta go." Antonio turned, lost his footing for a brief moment and then dashed out of sight.

"Antonio!" both Ji and Jayden yelled. Antonio ignored them both.

Jayden sighed and let his head drop back into the cushions. "Are you going to tell me that I'm fine? Because I won't believe you."

Ji looked at his young pupil for a moment and then clasped his hands behind his back. "Would you like some tea?"

Adrenaline sent fireworks across Jayden's body. He forced his arms under his torso and used them like levers to lift himself up. "Ji, what I would _like_ is to know what this symbol on my back means! I…" Jayden's arms shook and then collapsed. Mentor dove forward and caught him before he rolled off the couch.

Ji cupped the boy's pale face with his calloused hand. "Jayden…"

"Tell me," Jayden whispered, "this mark, the power it represents, the spell, the weapon – whatever – is it what killed my father?"

Mentor's lips parted slightly. With the gentleness of a parent, he lowered Jayden back onto the cushions. "Jayden, son…"

"_Did this kill my father_?" An almost microscopic tear scurried down the Red Ranger's cheek.

Ji chose his words carefully and spoke them slowly. "It would have. According to the Archives, Master Xandred attacks his victims on two fronts: swords and spells. While your father was busy defending himself with his sword, Xandred cast a spell so powerful that it burned itself into him." Ji cupped Jayden's cheeks with both hands and lowered his voice to a whisper. "If your father hadn't died by the sword that day… yes… I believe this spell would have killed him not long after."

Jayden's fuzzy brain tried to make sense of what he heard. "It's a time bomb," he said, mostly to himself. "Nighlock – Xandred – they think they're undefeatable. They think they only need a sword so why… Why would Xandred have a back-up plan?"

"Because he's not only powerful, he's smart," said Ji. "And that's why he's dangerous. That's why he defeated your father."

The two men sat in silence for a long moment, and then Jayden reached up and wrapped his hand around Mentor's wrist. "How long do _I_ have?"

**To Be Continued**


	3. Disheartened

**Summary: **The Rangers discover a Nighlock symbol branded into Jayden's back after the events of "The Master Returns." Hurt / comfort, friendship, angst, drama. Jayden / Mia, Mike / Emily.

**Author's Notes:** This story takes place minutes after "The Master Returns."

**Marked For Blood  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Three  
**Disheartened**

Mike stood outside of Emily's bedroom with his knuckles inches away from the door. Every time he thought about knocking, he heard her sob even louder. He didn't know what to do. Was it better to leave a crying teenage girl alone or to comfort her? Part of him wanted to ignore her tears but a bigger part wanted to take her in his arms.

No, that wasn't completely accurate. His fingers itched for Xandred's throat.

The house was so quiet compared to just a couple hours before. There were awful memories scarred into Mike's brain: Mia calling for help, running to the dojo, leading Emily aside so that they could get to Jayden, finding him choking on his own blood, seizing, gasping… Trying to hold Jayden still while the others bandaged the open wounds, watching Mentor empty a syringe of sedatives into the Red Ranger's neck, Mia crying, rolling Jayden onto his side to keep him from drowning in himself, the bruises, the burns, the flame-shaped symbol on Jayden's spine that made Mike's back hurt just looking at it… Getting the Archives for Mentor, reading through them with Antonio, hearing about Jayden's father… Mentor finding the symbol in the book, reading the text to himself and then aloud and then – incredibly – lifting up the kitchen table and tossing it across the room like a Frisbee, his face red, Antonio's white, Mike's stomach sinking to the floor, through the cellar and into the earth…

Every Samurai that Xandred marked with the Blood Symbol died. Some instantly, some after a few hours, none longer than a couple days. There was no cure. There was nothing, _nothing_ they could do.

Every victim bled to death.

Mike sighed and stuffed his fists into his pockets. He was about to go see what Antonio was up to when sparkling raindrops suddenly filled the hall. Mike felt like he was in the middle of a snow globe. "What the-?"

The Green Ranger sprinted into the dojo and discovered the Blue one. Kevin sat cross-legged with his back against the couch and his bow in his hands while the last drops of the Swordfish's purifying powers disintegrated. Jayden was still unconscious on the cushions behind him, his bandages soaked in dark red blood. Every few seconds he twitched, frowned and released a soft cry of agony. Whatever visible skin that wasn't crimson was drenched in sweat.

Kevin swore, rested his elbows on his knees and put his face in his hands.

"Nice try," Mike said.

Kevin could always tell when someone was in his presence, but not this time. He jumped and grabbed a fistful of t-shirt above his heart. "Mike," he gasped. A few calming breaths later he said, "I thought it would work. I thought it would cure him like it did before."

"I think Xandred's spell is a bit more powerful than a Nighlock who never brushed his teeth." Mike hesitated for a moment and then sat down beside Kevin. "This sucks, huh?"

Kevin's eyebrows rose half an inch.

"Yeah. I guess that goes without saying." Mike leaned back until his ear landed beside Jayden's knee. Barely louder than the silence, Mike whispered, "Just because our ancestors didn't find a cure doesn't mean we won't."

Kevin chuckled. It was a hollow, empty, apathetic noise. "If I was on that table – any of the rest of us, and it was up to Jayden to find a cure… I know he would. He can do anything."

"He was the best of us."

Kevin's eyes and nostrils flared. "Did you just speak about him in the _past_ tense?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean…" For once Mike had the sense to shut his mouth until Kevin calmed down. And then he said, "If – _if_ – what we think will happen… happens… what then?"

"Without Jayden I…" Kevin shook his head and stared at his feet. "I might just go home."

"What?" Mike didn't think he could handle any more bad news. His lifetime quota was almost to the brim. "Leave the team? You don't mean that."

"Yeah, you know me. That's something I would joke about." Sarcasm from a guy like Kevin was so rare that it was extra sharp. Kevin stood up and stretched his arms high over his head. "I need some air. I need a walk. I need…" He looked down at Jayden and his expression twisted, and then he was out the door before Mike could respond.

Jayden's arm suddenly flopped to the floor. Mike saw how deep his frown lines were, how violent his seizures, how pale his skin. Admiration curled around Mike's heart when he realized that he wasn't just witnessing Jayden in pain.

Even in his sleep, Jayden was _fighting_.

Mike climbed to his knees. He gently placed Jayden's arm back on the cushions and wrapped both of his hands around the leader's elbow. "If this was a movie," he said, "this is the part where I would tell you how much you mean to me, and say goodbye." Mike looked at Jayden's face and clenched his teeth. "But I'm not going to do that. Not the goodbye part, anyway. I will say that – Jayden – you're the best version of a Power Ranger – of a person – I can imagine and I hope… I hope I've made you proud."

A voice no louder than a flickering candle spoke his name: "Mike?"

"_Jayden_?" Mike gasped. The Red Ranger's blue eyes opened. For a wild moment, he wondered if he'd fallen asleep and this was a dream. But then Jayden grabbed his hand and squeezed so hard that Mike didn't doubt the reality.

"Decker's river," the Red Ranger whispered. He licked his blistered lips and repeated, "_The river he took me to when I was poisoned_!"

"What?"

"Antonio… Mike, get Antonio. Quick."

**To Be Continued**


	4. Bad to Worse

**Author's Notes: **This is the most intense chapter yet but there's a nice romantic scene to reward you for the reviews! Keep 'em coming – they're the gas that fuels this story.

**Marked For Blood  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Four  
**Bad to Worse**

"How many Moogers do you see?" Kevin hissed at Mike, who was half-way up an elm.

"At least two-hundred," Mike whispered back. "Maybe more… I was never good at, you know… counting."

"Any Nighlock?" Emily asked.

Mike shook his head. "No, but there must be one nearby, right? Moogers are just drones – where's the queen?"

"So many jokes, I don't know where to begin," Antonio whispered to Jayden, who summoned a tired smile. The two boys lay on their stomachs in the undergrowth between Emily and Mia. The Rangers saw the whole scene from their vantage point on a hill: the river – their one hope for curing Jayden – was surrounded by bad guys. Swords reflected the rising sun's light and their booming footsteps scared away every bird.

"They knew we were coming," Jayden concluded when Mike and Kevin lay down beside them. Jayden pulled down a bushel of twigs blocking his view and shook his head. "You can't fight that many. It's suicide."

"We don't have a choice," said Antonio. He patted Jayden's shoulder with the pads of his fingers. "We're not going to let a few lousy Moogers stop us."

"They have lasers."

"We have… well… we're pissed off. And we have a giant bull."

"Guys…" Jayden sighed, coughed briefly, then sighed again. "You don't have to risk your lives for me. It's not worth it."

"_Jayden_." Emily's voice snapped like a whip. "If you say that one more time I'll… I'll…" She shook her head so hard that her blonde curls smacked Mike and Antonio in the eye. "Well, I can't think of anything worse than bleeding to death from a Nighlock curse off the top of my head, but I'm working on it!"

"I'll make you eat one of my lemon-urchin omelets," said Mia. She grinned feebly when five pairs of eyebrows jumped at her. "What? My cooking is worse than anything Xandred could throw at us."

For several precious moments, they all shared a laugh.

Kevin pushed himself up on his elbows and addressed the group. "All we need is a distraction. We just have to get them away from the water long enough for you to heal," he said to Jayden. "How long do you need?"

Jayden folded his arms beneath his chest and rested his cheek on a pile of leaves. "I'm not sure. When Decker brought me here, I stayed in the water for just a few minutes. The poison was purged and I got my full strength back about an hour later." While Jayden spoke, Mia slipped her sweatshirt off, balled it up and slid it between his head and the ground. He squeezed her hand as a "thank you."

He kept his hand there – intertwined with hers.

Kevin pointed to their left. "They won't see you if we use the Zords to herd them down that southern tributary. We just need to free up a good twenty or thirty yards."

"Can I borrow the Lion?" Mike asked Jayden.

"I get the Lion!" Antonio insisted.

"Paper-Scissors-Rock for it?"

"You're on."

While Mike beat Antonio (scissors over paper), Kevin scooted over to Jayden. "You and Mia wait here. Get to the water as soon as it's clear."

"We should plan to meet up somewhere afterward," said Emily. "Especially if we get separated."

"Right. Mentor went to the Tengen Gate to see the Guardians. Let's regroup there."

"Bet we'll beat you," said Mia with a wicked angle in the corner of her lips.

"Just get there safe." Kevin nodded at Jayden and then led the others down the hill. The Red and Pink Ranger watched them until the last sleeve blended with the trees.

Jayden rotated his head so that his left cheek was on the pillow. He stared at the skin where Mia's hand held his. Looking up at her face, he expected to see a blush that matched his, but her sharp features and soft eyes appeared unhindered. "When this is all over," he said, "we should all camp here for a weekend. Antonio can fish, we can go swimming, have a barbecue."

Mia smiled and lay down beside him so close that the tips of their noses almost touched. "I'm definitely going to need a vacation. A real vacation. A leave-the Morphers-at-home vacation."

"We'll make a fire. Eat s'mores. Tell stories."

"We could stargaze. This place is miles away from the city – I bet the Milky Way is gorgeous."

Jayden opened his mouth to say something incredibly romantic (or ridiculously lame) – like how her eyes were brighter and more beautiful than any star in the universe – when the Moogers unleashed a collective roar. They stretched their necks up over the bushes. A dragon, a bear and an ape Zord descended on the Moogers, who took off running.

"Let's go," said Mia. She leapt to her feet, pulled Jayden's arm across her shoulders and led the way down the hill. Jayden stayed on his feet but Mia tripped over a stump, bashing her knee on the bark. She ignored the ripped clothing and skin and continued. They jogged past the cave on the right and waded into the water.

"Cold," Jayden muttered. He clamped his teeth together to keep his jaw from shaking. His bandages bloated up and separated from his skin, releasing more blood. Mia winced at the red liquid pooling around their knees. How was there any blood left?

The two Rangers knelt down and Mia spread water across his face and neck as if baptizing him. Jayden submerged himself completely, counted to ten and then rose for a breath. Mia waited patiently, her arms around him in case he lost his footing, as Jayden repeated the process. He got used to the temperature almost immediately. The water cocooned his body in a slippery cast. After a few minutes, Jayden looked at Mia and whispered, "I think it's working."

A pair of tears burst from Mia's eyes. "Really? Let me see." Jayden held out his left arm. They stared at a particularly gruesome gash as it slowly closed itself. "Oh," Mia gasped, "that's… that's unbelievable."

Jayden chuckled and shook his head in amazement. "That's miraculous. I – wow – we did it! I… I'm not going to die."

Mia grabbed both of his hands and held them against the soft skin of her neck. "Thank God," she whispered. She took a deep breath, tried to release it smoothly but it came out in short, sharp gasps. "Jayden, I was so scared that –"

He kissed her, then. Without even thinking about it. He raised his hands, cupped her chin, and crashed his lips against hers. They felt extra warm in the cool river and soft as a butterfly wing.

Mia felt like he'd just blocked out the sun. The scent of his hair, the heat of his tongue squirming for hers, the thousand goose bumps on her skin where he touched her… Mia had the sensation that her life had suddenly just _begun_. Jayden moved his lips down to her neck, stood, lifted her out of the water and swung her around. Mia laughed with all the glee a girl could have as the tips of her shoes splashed water into arcs of rainbows. When he set her down, she was the one who initiated the next kiss.

"_Ow_!" Jayden suddenly recoiled from her touch. He held his forearms up in front of him and as quick as they healed, the gashes reappeared. Immediately he dunked them back in the water. The river turned red again, then dissipated when the cure repeated, then reverted once more when the wounds left the healing powers of the water. A wave of dizziness knocked Jayden back down to his knees. "I guess…" he whispered, "I guess I'll live if I stay right here in the water."

"Oh no, oh no, oh no," Mia said.

"Oh, _yes_," howled a new voice. The two Rangers looked up at the shoreline. A shadowy Nighlock emerged from the cave. "Now this is a happy ending!" he declared.

It was Serrator.

**To Be Continued**


	5. The Destruction of the Tengen Gate

**Marked For Blood  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Five  
**The Destruction of the Tengen Gate**

The Zords had the Moogers on the run. It wasn't long before they all abandoned the river and retreated to the netherworld. Kevin – watching from the cockpit of his Zord – started to ask himself if that was "too" easy when his Samuraizer chimed. It was Mentor Ji calling to check up on them. When Kevin answered the phone, he skipped the polite greetings and just answered the question he knew Mentor was going to ask. "We're all fine, sir. Jayden should be in the river right now. We'll meet up with him soon."

"Are you sure he's safe?" Ji asked. His voice sounded odd to Kevin. He wondered if Mentor was trying to cough up a bug that flew into his throat.

"Moogers tried to ambush us but we got rid of them."

"Good." Ji said. Kevin heard no relief in that word. "Then I need the rest of you here, immediately."

"At the Tengen Gate? Yeah – just give us a minute to –"

"Kevin, look to the west."

The Blue Ranger adjusted his controls and rotated away from the rising sun. He didn't have to wonder what Mentor meant for him to see. Thick, inky black smoke emerged from the forest. Kevin squinted and saw that at least three acres were on fire. The three acres that surrounded the Tengen Gate temple.

The Moogers had been busy long before they went to the river.

Kevin hung up the phone without saying goodbye, contacted Mike, Emily and Antonio and led the way toward the fire. When the Rangers arrived they found Mentor Ji cradling the mortally wounded monk, Daisuke, who was propped up against what was left of the wooden arch. The other Guardians – every single one of them – lay dead in the Temple gardens, pierced by Mooger blades or shot by lasers. The temple, the stables, the library, everything flammable spewed black flakes of ash onto the pink and orange flowers. The Moogers beheaded the statues and knocked the obelisks over like dead trees. The water in the fountains was red.

Antonio was the first to recover from the shock. "Are there any other survivors?" he asked.

"None," Daisuke gasped. "They were merciless…"

Emily walked up to Ji and said, "We should get him to a hospital."

Daisuke shook his head. "Do not bother. It's too late for me."

"You said that you found something that could cure Jayden," Ji said, pulling on the elderly monk's sleeve. "Show us so that we can heal you, now."

Daisuke pointed a gnarled forefinger at a deep pocket on the left side of his robe. Kevin lowered himself to one knee and gently pulled a football-sized leather satchel out. He handed it to Mike who held it out to Daisuke like it was a cup of water. Ji reached out to open it but the Guardian blocked his hand. "You all must listen to me, now," Daisuke said. His voice deflated to a whisper and the Rangers had to gather in close to hear him speak. "The six talismans in this pack are so sacred that only head Guardians know that they exist. They have been kept secret for generations not only because they're special, but because they're dangerous."

"Dangerous?" Mike whispered.

"Extremely." Daisuke clenched his eyes shut and took a steadying breath before he continued. "I wish, my friends, that I had time to show you how they work but I fear my spirit will soon join my ancestors."

"Don't speak like that," said Emily in her most velvet voice. "If what's in there can heal Jayden, it can heal you, right?"

Daisuke smiled at her as if she was a girl half her age. "The talismans can only save a Power Ranger. Even if that were not the case, I wouldn't risk depleting their powers. Jayden's life is far more valuable than my own." He began to speak again but choked on the blood filling his lungs. He reached out for Ji's hand and gripped it with all of his strength.

Ji was neither as optimistic as Emily was, nor as patient. "Speak," he begged. "Tell us what to do."

"Harness the power of the talismans and save Jayden," Daisuke whispered, "and then…" The monk stretched out his other hand toward the Rangers. Kevin hesitated for a moment and then joined Daisuke's fingers with his. Emily's folded around his a moment later, followed by Mike and Antonio. "And then it is time," said Daisuke, "for you to know Jayden's secrets."

Ji's nose and bottom lip wrinkled with sudden emotion. "I'm not ready for this," he whispered. Never had the Rangers ever seen their mentor so distressed. "Jayden's not ready."

Daisuke's words were almost too soft for human hearing. "I have faith in Jayden, in you, in all of you." Daisuke's eyes widened slightly and his final breaths crawled out of his throat. "Goodbye, Ji…"

The Guardian's eyes remained open, but he was no longer behind them.

Tears cascaded down Ji's cheeks. He hugged the monk and – to the Rangers' breath-taking shock – whispered, "Goodbye… _Father_."

**To Be Continued**


	6. Serrator's Proposal

**Marked For Blood  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Six  
**Serrator's Proposal**

Serrator looked taller than Mia remembered. The blades in his hands were sharper, his voice more menacing. It didn't matter if he literally grew or if she hypothetically shrunk. Either way, Mia never felt so tiny, so helpless, so out of her league. She placed her body between Jayden and the Nighlock and drew her sword. Mia wasn't sure if Jayden put his hands on her shoulders to push her aside or hold his failing body upright. Both, probably. He was such a good man. Mia admired and adored him with all of herself. The pressure of his lips against hers was the grandest moment of her life and now… now they were both about to die.

"That's quite a boo-boo," Serrator purred with fake concern.

"The river will heal me soon," Jayden said. "Leave now if you want to live."

Serrator stuck his swords in the sand and leaned on them. He had the arrogant air of someone who already knew he was going to win. "You're lying, Red Ranger. Not even this place could purge the Blood Mark. And I wasn't talking to you."

Mia followed the Nighlock's line of sight straight down to her knee. Blood covered her skin and the surrounding cloth – a souvenir from their tenuous descent down the hill. Confusion and curiosity distracted her from the fear. Why was he interested in her 'boo-boo'?

"It's odd, don't you think, that the water healed him but not you," Serrator said to Mia. He snarled at her, then addressed Jayden. "Deker showed you this place, didn't he? Curious… very curious…"

Mia felt Jayden's fingers tighten. "What do you want?" he demanded.

Serrator plucked up one of his swords and twirled it like a cane. Somehow doing a lighthearted trick with the weapon was more intimidating than pointing it. "I know how to cure you."

"What?" Mia gasped.

"That doesn't answer my question," Jayden said.

"The Sealing symbol power. I want it. Give it to me and I will seal Master Xandred in the Netherworld. Give it to me and I'll save your life."

"Only the Red Power Ranger can wield that symbol power," Jayden told him. "And even if that wasn't the case I would never give it to you."

"You want Xandred trapped in the Netherworld. So do I."

"What you really want is to rule this world. You want to get your minions here and then seal away the competition."

Mia gripped her sword tighter. Jayden was right – she knew it in her gut. His astuteness was one of a hundred things she loved about –

_Loved_.

Mia was so surprised by herself that she almost dropped her sword.

Serrator cocked his head to the side and glared at them. "I don't believe you. I don't believe that only you can use that power."

"It's true," the Pink Ranger said. In actuality she didn't know for sure, but this wasn't the time for a debate about Ranger lore. Mia wasn't sure if Nighlock got flushed with anger but Serrator's complexion was definitely darkening. She knew what he was going to say.

"Give it to me, Ranger, or I'll take it," Serrator bellowed. "Give it to me or _die_."

Sometimes Mia hated being right.

"Let her go and you can do what you want with me." Jayden leaned heavily against Mia as the last dose of the water's powers abandoned him. His knees and voice shook.

"Jayden?" Mia whispered.

"Mia?"

"Stargazing would've been fun."

"Don't do it," Jayden said.

"I wish there was a symbol power that could freeze time."

"Please don't. You don't have to die, too."

"My choice," she said. She turned and kissed him. "I love you, Jayden." Then Mia flipped open her Samuraizer, morphed and trudged towards Serrator.

"_**Mia!**_"

Serrator lowered his shoulders and charged at Mia like a feral bull. He was a brick wall. The Pink Ranger bounced off him so hard that her momentum thrust her back against Jayden. He collapsed under her weight and she under Serrator's. The Nighlock wrapped his hands around her throat, pushed them both underwater and trapped them there.

Mia was about to drown.

Not an impressive way for a Power Ranger to die.

…But better than living without the man she loved.

The murderous Nighlock and the fireworks in the corners of her eyes blocked the sight of a blue Zord in the sky. A body fell from the ship, made striking motions in mid-air and turned gold. Three others followed – flipping through the sky and transforming the moment before they landed right on Serrator's back.

**To Be Continued**


	7. The LifeForce

**Author's Notes: **At the risk of sounding exceptionally lame, I want to say this about the rest of the story…

Readers, buckle up.

**Marked For Blood  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Seven  
**The Life-Force**

Kevin drove his Zord slow and close to the ground, hoping to see Mia and Jayden happy and healthy and walking towards the Tengen Gate to meet up with them. If the water cured Jayden then they wouldn't have to figure out how the talismans worked – at least not in the next five minutes. Kevin hoped for that because the three voices arguing behind him definitely weren't making much progress. Ji, Emily, Antonio and Mike sat Indian-style around the bag of six rectangular boxes Daisuke gave them. The talismans looked exactly like the black box except they were painted ivory, violet, silver, maroon, teal and coral. Ji didn't recognize the Samurai markings engraved in the wood and Mike didn't help by asking if the language was Klingon.

Antonio's silence was uncharacteristic (to say the least). While Ji, Mike and Emily debated a dozen theories, the Gold Ranger just stared at the boxes. Mike wanted to crack them open in hopes of finding some super Samurai Tylenol. Emily wondered if the markings needed to be lined up in a particular order to cast some sort of spell. Ji figured that they had to fill them with power, just like with the black box. Kevin only listened with one ear as he focused on finding Jayden and Mia in the woods.

Suddenly Antonio jumped to his feet. He exclaimed something in rapid Spanish and took out his morpher. His fingers danced so quickly over the keys that they became blurs. Mike was about to ask him what he was doing when the six boxes suddenly glowed and a tornado of multi-colored Samurai symbols were sucked up by Antonio's morpher. The Gold Ranger pumped his fist into the air and cheered.

"_What_?" the others shouted simultaneously.

"Did you just put something into the boxes?" Ji asked.

"Nope! The black box was empty, but these were full!" Antonio said.

"Full of what?" Mike asked.

"_Life_!"

Emily stood and grabbed Antonio's elbow to stop him from dancing and explain himself. "You mean there were – what – creatures in there? Plants? _What_?"

The Gold Ranger's grin stretched past his ears. "The Zords - they're not just machines, they're sentient. They're part of us. They interact with us! They're –"

"Alive!" Kevin called from the cockpit.

"Yes!" Antonio shouted. "The archives say that they were created generations ago by a combination of technology and magic."

"The 'magic' you refer to has been lost for centuries," said Ji. "No one in recent memory has been able to find the power that brings them to life."

"We have." Antonio's eyebrows bounced up and down. "The last of that magic – that Life-force – was contained in these boxes."

One word stood out to Emily: "Life-force?" she murmured. "If it can create life…"

"…it can save life," Ji whispered. "Jayden's life!"

"Awesome!" Mike exclaimed. "So what now?"

Antonio pointed his silver morpher like it was a gun. "I uploaded the Life-force into this. We need to get to Jayden and _zap_—! He's cured."

Just then, Kevin cut their celebration short. "Guys, I see Mia and Jayden – they're in trouble!" Ji and the Rangers ran over to the cockpit and looked through the window. Three figures stood in the river below.

"Serrator!" Mike growled. "We have to help them!"

"We have to get to Jayden!" Kevin said. "Don't worry about destroying Serrator. Just get him away from Jayden so that Antonio can cure him."

"I'll drive, Kevin." Ji sat in the Blue Ranger's seat and took over the controls. "I think we can land safely on the shoreline."

"Oh no!" Emily pointed at Mia through the window. They all watched, helpless, as she morphed and charged the Nighlock. "They're all alone! We don't have time to land!"

"We have to jump!" Kevin unsheathed his Samuraizer and motioned for the others to do the same.

"Ji, open the hatch!" Antonio shouted. "Now!"

Their mentor didn't argue. "Good luck!" Ji pulled a lever and a six by six wall of the Zord slid open. Antonio swan-dived off the deck, cast his symbol power and fell into his armor on the way down. The howling wind deafened the sound of the Zord, of the others' shouts, of Antonio's own thoughts. He aimed his blades and body at the dark figure that was Serrator – his hands around Mia's throat. Antonio landed directly on the back of the Nighlock's neck, sending both of them to the floor of the river.

"_**Antonio**_!"

Jayden's voice. The Gold Ranger had never heard a sweeter sound than his friend alive and well. Well, alive and conscious, at least. Antonio didn't really have time to check for sure. Serrator wrapped a gloved claw around his barracuda blade and swung it at Antonio's head like a baseball bat. Antonio ducked, fell on his back in the water and kicked up with all of his might. Serrator took the hit in the gut and stumbled. The other Rangers landed, then. Emily swam over to Mia and helped her friend limp to the shore. Mia ripped off her helmet and spit river water onto the sand in heavy, high-pitched coughs. Mike, meanwhile, threw the Red Ranger over his shoulder and waded out. He and Emily guarded Mia and Jayden while they caught their breaths.

Kevin tackled Serrator, rolled onto the shore with him and then tossed him towards the cave. The Nighlock took too long to get up, which gave Kevin time to position himself in front of the others. "You won't get past me!" he declared.

Antonio ran over to Jayden, slid across the sand on his knees and embraced him. "_Mi hermano_," he gasped with relief, "un momento, we can save you with this!" He opened his morpher and showed it to Jayden.

Jayden had just about had it. His trembling, soaked body was running on nothing more than fear and adrenaline. He clung to Antonio's neck with the last of his strength. "Your morpher?" he whispered.

"Talismans from Daisuke." Antonio made a show of positioning his thumb over 'send.' "One button and you're back to normal, bro."

Serrator looked like he was about to charge at Kevin, but suddenly a crack appeared in his cheek.

The Nighlock was drying out – fast. Finally, the Rangers had some luck.

"I'll be back for you!" Serrator yelled at them. "Here's a parting gift before I go!" A second before he slipped through a gap in the cave wall, Serrator tossed a baseball-sized grenade right at them.

It landed right in front of Emily.

**To Be Continued**


	8. Jayden's Sacrifice

**Marked For Blood  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Eight  
**Jayden's Sacrifice**

Antonio watched the scene as if it were in slow motion. A second before the bomb landed, Mike pushed Emily to the ground and covered her body with his. Kevin dove into the river and Mia rolled behind a boulder. The heat of the explosion knocked Antonio over. He landed on a pile of river pebbles and suddenly found himself in his street clothes. His ears were ringing yet somehow he heard the sound of his left wrist breaking. Lightning blocked his eyesight and left him dizzy. Antonio looked down at his right hand and saw something worse than a grenade: his morpher was missing. The Gold Ranger tucked his broken wrist against his stomach and rolled onto his back. Kevin, also in his regular clothes, emerged from the water with no apparent injury. The same went for Mia, who peeked out from behind the stone. Antonio thought that she yelled something but between the pounding in his head and the ringing in his ears, he wasn't sure what. Antonio groaned, and then army-crawled through the sand towards his friends.

The wind shoved the smoke aside and revealed Emily and Mike. The tips of her blonde curls were singed black but otherwise, she was fine.

Mike was not.

The Green Ranger took the full brunt of the blast. The majority of his skin was burned, bleeding, or stained black from soot. He wasn't moving.

"Mike?" Emily's voice was so high-pitched that it sounded almost inhuman. She gripped what was left of Mike's t-shirt and shook him. "_Mike_!" she screamed repeatedly. "_**Mike**_!"

Mia sprinted over and pulled the weeping Emily off Mike so that Kevin could check him. The Blue Ranger pressed his ear to Mike's lips and closed his eyes. Seconds passed like hours. When Kevin opened his eyes, they were twice as big. "No!" he roared. He pressed the tips of his middle finger and forefinger against the soft skin beneath Mike's jaw. Antonio reached them, finally, and felt around Mike's wrist for a pulse.

He found none.

Mike was dead.

"_**No**_!" Kevin screamed again as Emily broke out into a new wave of sobs. Kevin kneeled in front of Mike's chest, intertwined his fingers and put the heel of his wrist over the ribs protecting Mike's heart. "Antonio – help me."

Antonio pocketed his dizziness and got up. Before they even started CPR, a blast of color shot down out of nowhere and enveloped Mike's body. A million dancing lights knitted each gash and transformed the red burns into new skin. Mike's back arched and he sucked in an enormous gulp of air. His body vibrated, his fists clenched, his eyes flew open and immediately fixed on Emily. She shoved Mia aside and crawled back to him.

His disoriented gaze couldn't see anything but her. "Emily?" he whispered. He spoke like an elderly chimneysweep with black lungs. "Are you all right?"

"Mike…" Emily cupped his cheeks. Mike combed his fingers through her hair. The kiss they shared was so intense that Antonio blushed and looked away. He saw the source of the miraculous light, then. Jayden stood, swaying a bit, about ten feet away, still pointing Antonio's morpher. Transferring so much power – twice – overloaded the device. Grey smoke leaked from the cracked, black cell phone screen. The morpher was useless, destroyed.

"Jay?" Antonio whispered.

The morpher slid out of Jayden's fingers and broke in half on the ground. He smiled and said, in a repeat of Mia's declaration, "My choice, _hermano_."

"_Jayden_!" Antonio reached him just in time to catch his shoulders. Without a sound, Jayden's ankles rolled and he crumpled against Antonio's chest. Antonio lowered him gently by slipping his right hand around Jayden's waist and his left beneath the back of his neck. When they landed – Antonio cross-legged with Jayden cradled in his arms – the Red Ranger's eyes closed and his body went completely limp. Antonio forced himself to be still and listen for a breath.

He heard nothing.

Antonio checked for Jayden's pulse.

He found nothing.

He whispered Jayden's name – wept it.

Nothing.

Ji must have landed Kevin's Zord because suddenly he stood there, staring down at Jayden's body with a confused look on his lined face. Antonio half-expected the mentor to pinch himself to see if he was awake or dreaming. Sluggishly, Ji gathered up his robes and kneeled across from Antonio. As gentle as a father he brushed Jayden's hair out of his face. "My brave, brave boy," he whispered, "I won't let it end like this." He looked up at the other Rangers and gave them an order: "Summon all of your Zords, _now_."

**To Be Continued**


	9. Jayden's Secret

**Marked For Blood  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Nine  
**Jayden's Secret**

From a bird's eye view, the south shore of the river changed quite dramatically in all of ten seconds. At first, there were a handful of humans, some smoke and a dragon-shaped object in a nearby clearing. Then five of the seven figures pointed at the skies and a whole zoo of mechanical animals landed in trees, on the cave, in the water and on the sand. A tiger and a bear squatted between a squid and a turtle and roared. When everyone (and everything) settled in a circle around Jayden, Kevin cleared his throat and said, "Not to be the devil's advocate, Mentor, but how can we protect the world without the Zords?"

Ji stood between Emily and Mia with his hands clasped behind his back. "It took the life-forces of six Zords to save Mike, so, hopefully, it will only take six – maybe even less – to save Jayden. We have thirteen at our disposal. Losing half of them to save Jayden is worth the risk."

"Now I understand why Daisuke said that these talismans are dangerous. We'll lose all of our morphers, too," Mike said. He stood in his torn clothes with his arm around Emily's shoulders. He was pale and shaken up, but none the worse for wear. "Transferring all of that power ruined Antonio's."

"I can build us new ones." Antonio twirled Jayden's Samuraizer in his uninjured hand. "It'll take time – a few weeks, at least – we just have to hope that the bad guys don't throw too much at us for a while."

"We have to do this now or never," Mia said. She hadn't taken her eyes off Jayden since he collapsed.

"I vote _now_," Emily said.

"Sorry about this, guys," Antonio called to the Zords. "We wouldn't sacrifice you if we didn't have to."

"Let's do it," Kevin agreed. The Rangers pointed their Samuraizers at Jayden.

Five neon whirlwinds of Samurai symbols cocooned Jayden's body so tight that he disappeared from view. The morphers squealed with effort and burned the Rangers' fingers. A coil of smoke erupted from Mia's just before it exploded. She dropped it and sucked on the tips of her fingers. The turtle Zord crumbled into a fine dust and disappeared as its life-force entered Jayden. Jayden's morpher, in Antonio's hands went next (along with the Sharkzord), and then Emily and the ape. They swayed slightly. Using the transfer symbol power took twice as much effort as usual. Mike grunted and he and the Beetlezord fell to the ground. The buttons on his Samuraizer melted and merged from the heat. Kevin willed out the last of his strength and then collapsed to the ground when his morpher split in half. The dragon Zord was gone.

The symbols flitted around Jayden for another moment before they turned translucent and disappeared. Ji and the Rangers made no sound as they approached their friend.

Jayden lay spread-eagled on his back. His eyes were still closed.

"Please work," Emily whispered to the universe, "please…"

"Come on, Jayden." Antonio took Mia's hand and they both knelt beside the Red Ranger. "Come on, Jayden, come on – wake up."

A single tear dripped from Mia's eye. She sniffed it back, then leaned over and kissed Jayden gently on the lips. "Come back to us," she whispered to him. "I love you."

When Mia sat up, she discovered that Jayden was looking at her. The color returned to his cheeks and for the first time in hours, he wasn't bleeding. He reached up, stroked her chin with his forefinger and smiled, drowsily. The entire forest held its breath and waited for the Red Ranger to speak. "I love you, Mia," he whispered. "I love you, too." He kissed her.

"Dude, bro, thank God you're awake," Antonio said as he and Mia helped Jayden to his feet.

"How do you feel?" Emily asked in a squeaky voice.

Jayden looked down at his arms and flexed them. "I feel…" he grinned, "_strong_." He looked at the others in turn, especially at Ji standing between Mike and Kevin. "Thank you, all of you." Jayden suddenly bounded forward and embraced Mentor. "Thank you…"

Mike wrapped one arm around Emily and the other around Jayden. Kevin made room for Mia. She encircled Jayden with her arms and Kevin hugged them both. "Group hug!" Antonio shouted. He leapt into the circle and squeezed them all. Behind them, the Zords thundered in celebration.

A few hours later, following showers and supper, casts and bandages, and well-deserved naps, the Rangers sat in the barstools around the outside table with only the moon and a couple lanterns to illuminate their smiling faces. Each had a dozen questions for the others about everything that had happened that day. All of the stories were told – some twice – and then Mia summoned the courage to ask about what was on her mind.

"Jayden, about what Serrator said…"

"About the seal power?" he asked with a mouthful of chocolate ice cream.

"No, before that. About the river." She looked at the others and explained, "I scraped up my knee and it didn't stop bleeding. Jayden's injuries healed when he was in the water but mine didn't."

Jayden paled. "I'm… I'm not sure why that happened." Jayden looked at Ji with a pleading expression.

Mentor sighed and nodded slightly. "It's time, Jayden. It's all right. It will be all right."

"Time for what?" Mia asked.

"Daisuke said it was time we knew Jayden's secret," said Kevin. "Tell us, man."

"He doesn't have to if he's not ready," Emily insisted. She looked at Jayden and smiled warmly. "We trust you, Jayden. And whatever it is – even if you think it's horrible – we'll still love you. I promise."

"I'm not so sure," Jayden whispered.

"Mia," Mentor said, "the water didn't work on you because you're human. Completely, one hundred percent human. But Jayden…"

Jayden took a deep breath and spit it out. "My father was human and my mother was half-Nighlock so I… I'm one-quarter Nighlock." The Rangers froze in place. Their jaws dropped and each said a variation of the words "wow" and "what." Jayden waved his hand for quiet and continued. "When my mother was my age she got sick with tuberculosis. A Nighlock went to her father and made a deal for her life."

"Just like Dayu did for Deker," said Mia. "I saw it in her dream."

"Exactly. And just like Serrator, that Nighlock double-crossed them. He transformed my grandfather into a Nighlock and my mother into a cursed half-human like Deker."

Curious, Antonio asked, "Did your father know about her?"

"No, not until after I was born. They met, fell in love, got married, and all the while my mother suppressed her Nighlock half like Deker tried to. But not long after she had me the evil overwhelmed her. She left us, probably to serve the Nighlock who cursed her. My dad tried to find her but it was no use. He told Ji and Daisuke his secret, but not his teammates. He was afraid… afraid that the other Rangers would want to kill me."

"That's the big secret? You didn't tell us because you thought we'd hurt you?" said Emily. "Jayden, you're our friend. You're the same person you were yesterday. Knowing your heritage doesn't change how we think about you."

"Are you sure? Just like Deker, I'm warped. Part of me is a monster."

"No, you're not!" said Antonio. "Jayden, you're the one who taught me that everyone has a choice. Whatever the circumstances or genes, we decide to be good or evil."

"Humans, yes, but Nighlock are born evil. My mother tried to be good but in the end, she lost. What if – someday – what happens to her happens to me? If I turn evil, you'll have to kill me."

"That won't happen," Kevin said. "You won't let it. We won't."

"After everything that happened today, obviously we _can_ do anything!" Mike decided.

"Right – let's get started tonight." Antonio slid off his stool and motioned for everyone to follow him inside. "Come on, guys, if you help me fix the morphers they'll be ready in half the time. Especially since I only have half my hands!"

"Are you coming, Jayden?" Mia asked when he didn't follow them.

Jayden nodded. "In a minute. I need to talk to Ji."

"Ok."

The moment the others were out of earshot, Jayden said, "You think I should've told them _everything_, don't you?"

Ji sat on the stool beside Jayden. "They care about you – they've proved that a hundred times. They deserve to know."

"Whether I tell them now or when the Sanzu floods the city, it won't change anything. We both know that to seal Xandred in the Netherworld, the Red Ranger has to die_._"

The moonlight sparkled across a shallow pool of tears in Jayden's eyes.

"I'll be dead soon. And a hundred Zords won't be able to bring me back."

**To Be Concluded**

**Author's Note: **One more chapter to go!


	10. A Sealed Fate

**Marked For Blood  
**PenPatronus  
Chapter Ten  
**A Sealed Fate**

"I'll be dead soon," said Jayden. "And a hundred Zords won't be able to bring me back."

No matter how many times Ji thought about Jayden's tragic destiny, he still felt a kick right in his gut. "There's still hope, Jayden. The Sanzu is shallow and Xandred is weak. It could be a while before you have to face him again. There's time to find a way to save you."

Jayden had the eyes of a man twice his age and, when sitting alone with his mentor in the shadows cast by the moon, he had the posture, too. "You've been saying that since I was a kid. Generations of Samurai have tried to find a loophole in the symbol power, but there isn't one." Jayden rested his elbows on the table, folded his hands and sighed. "The Netherworld can't be sealed permanently from here; it has to be from the _inside_. I'll be trapped after I cast the sealing symbol. If Moogers don't kill me instantly, no mortal can survive that place for long. Not even my Nighlock blood could protect me.

"I don't want to die, Ji, but to save the world, I'll have to. I'm at peace with that. I have to be."

Jayden was lying, and they both knew it.

Ji's bottom lip trembled. He moved closer and squeezed Jayden's shoulder. "I'm so proud of you, son. Even as a child you understood the importance of sacrifice. Most people, given such a monumental task, would go mad and run off screaming into the night."

Jayden met his eyes. "Don't tempt me." The corner of his lips stretched slightly.

"I'm serious, Jayden. You're the bravest man I've ever known. I'm so very, very proud of you."

The Red Ranger reached up and patted Ji's hand where it rested on his shoulder. "The mentor who raised me was a good example."

Despite the darkness – literally and figuratively – Ji's heart glowed. "No matter what happens, I'm glad you're allowing yourself to love – right here, right now."

Jayden dropped his hand and glared daggers at a square inch of wood. "I can't be with Mia."

"Why not?"

"You know why."

"You don't want to cause her pain," Ji theorized, "especially when you know your fate… Jayden, Mia loves you. If – if you're trapped in the Netherworld, she'll miss you whether you're just friends or something more. Love is always worth whatever pain might follow."

Jayden smiled. "My father told me that, once."

"He was a wise man."

"Ji, if I let myself be with Mia only to end up in the Netherworld a week, a month, a year from now… well, you saw how miserable my father was without my mother. Forgive me if this sounds selfish but I don't want to add to my torture."

"You can't control love like a Zord, Jayden. Love can't be tamed."

"Maybe not… but it can be ignored."

The two Samurai heard a noise from inside the house. A moment later Mia reappeared at the door. "Jayden, come on!" she said. "We're planning that camping trip!"

Jayden glanced at Ji to see if their conversation was over. It wasn't, not really, but Jayden left the table, anyways. "I promised your father that I would find a way to spare you this fate, Jayden," Ji whispered as he watched them leave. "I will. I swear, I will."

**The End**

**Author's Note:** Before you ask, yes, I do have a **sequel** in mind. I'm not sure when or even if I'm going to write it, though, so for now this is a standalone story.

Thanks for reading – and especially for reviewing!


	11. SEQUEL

**Check out my new story, "Destined For Death," the sequel to "Marked For Blood."**

If you liked this story, you'll love that one**. **

Summary: The time has come for Jayden to face his destiny! As the Red Ranger prepares to seal the Netherworld with his own life, Deker destroys his home and kills his closest friend. The Samurai Rangers are on the run – powerless, hopeless, and knee-deep in the Sanzu River. Can they save the world without sacrificing Jayden? Hurt / comfort, adventure, romance. Jayden / Mia, Mike / Emily.


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